Circular railroad or roundabout



(No. Mgdel.) 2 Sheets- 81mm; 1.

W. STURM.

CIRCULAR RAILROAD 0R ROUND ABOUT. No. 263,243.- Patented Aug. 22, 1882.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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GIRGULAR RAILROAD 0R ROUND ABOUT. No. 263,243. Patented Aug. 22, 1s

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WILLIAM STURM, or GALVESTON, Texas.

CIRCULAR RAILROAD OR ROUNDABOUT.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 263,243, dated August 22, 1882,

Application filed June 19, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM STURM, of Galveston, in the county of Galveston, and in the State of Texas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Circular Railroads or Rouudabouts; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

This invention relates to novel improvements on circular railroads, and also to means for propelling a turn-table on which the carriages are secured, as will be fully understood from the following description, when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a circular building covered by a suitable canopy or tent, showing a locomotive and a train of carriages arranged 011 the balcony in the second story of the building. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the building, showing the turn-table, the circular rail-track, the central turning column, the radial supporting-spokes, and other interior parts of the mechanism. Fig. 3 is a view in detail of the hub and radial spokes, to which the turn-table is secured.

The invention which I am about to describe is especially designed for the amusement and exercise of the old and young, and is intended for use in parks, as well as in other places.

A designates the foundation of a building, which is of circular form, and which may be made of any desired diameter and height. This building may be constructed of wood or metal, and it consists essentially of vertical uprights suitably framed to a base, to a circular platform or inside walk, B, and to a circular capping, G. The first story of the structure is preferably housed in, as shown in Fig. 1, and provided with windows and doors at suitable points, and this first story may be utilized for a restaurant or for other purposes. The sec ond story is open for the purpose of free ventilation and to expose to view the railroadcarriages, and this story is accessible by means of steps D, which lead to the circular platform or walk B.

E designates a circular turn-table, arranged inside ofthe walk B andin the same horizontal plane with it. This turn-table is rigidly secured upon a number of radial arms, a, which are all rigidly secured into the huh I) of a tubular post or rotating column, F. This column F is stepped upon a solid block, 0, secured in the center of the base A of the building, and it extends up a suitable height, and its conical end is rigidly secured to the turntable E by means of radial inclined rods G, which serve as braces and also as suspenders for the turntable. The turn-table is thus firmly supported, and it has perfect freedom to rotate with said central column. Through the center of the column F and firmly embedded into the stepblock 0 is a staff, H, which extends up a considerable height above the plane of the capping O, and serves as a central support for a canopy or tent, J, and also as a support for a flag-staff. The canopy or tent covers the entire upper story of the structure. The border'ot' the canopy is suitably secured to the uprights and capping of the frame-work. I

K designates a collar, which is mounted on the upper end of the column F, or upon a washer on this column, and through which the staff H passes freely. This loose collar is eonnected by brace and tie rods L to the capping G at the uprights. I thus afiord an upper guide and centering support for thecentral column, F, and keep the latter upright without interfering with its free rotation.

M designates a light cylinder, which is of a diameter about equal to the inner diameter of the turn-table, and which is sustained in position by the radial rods L and the inclined brace-rods G, but which does not rotate. The exterior surface of the cylinder may bepainted with panoramic views, or in any other suitable manner, and the figures will be passed in view by persons riding around in carriages N. These carriages N are secured upon the turntable E, and they are arranged in close relation to each other, and they may be made to represent a train of coaches or chariots with dummy-wheels on their outer exposed sides.

P designates a locomotive, which may be provided with a tender, both of which are secured rigidly upon the turn-table. The locomotive is provided with a steam-engine and with driving-wheels on one side only, which wheels are driven in the same manner as the driving-wheels of a railroad-locomotive.

The driving-wheels B may have their treads roughened or covered with india-rubber, and they roll upon a circular india-rubber track, it, which is suitably secured upon the platform or walk B. It is obvious that when steam (or other motive power) is applied and the driving-wheels R are rotated, the turn-table E, with its train of carriages, will be moved around with greater or less speed, as the engineer may desire.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. The combination, with a suitable building, of a horizontal turn-table sustained by means of a central column, radial arms, and brace-rods, the loose collar K, connected by radial braces L to the capping O, the cylinder M, the circular walk or platform B, the rubber rail t on this platform, the locomotive P, and 20 the driving-wheels R, the latter rolling on said rail and moving the turn-table around with the locomotive and carriages, all substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.

2. The building of circular form, composed of alower story inclosed, an upper open story, a canopy, J, a central post, H, a turn-table, E, sustained'by a central post, H, a platform, B, and a centrally arranged cylinder, M, all arranged and constructedsubstantially in the 30 manner and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses this 30th day of May, 1882.

WILLIAM STURM.

Witnesses:

G. BERNSDORF, WILLIAM BROSIG. 

